Lire et écrire l'avenir : astrologie, prophéties et prédictions dans la France du XVIIème siècle (1610-1715)
Institution:
Paris, EHESSDisciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
La disqualification de l'astrologie et du prophetisme survenue dans la deuxieme moitie du 17eme siecle n'est pas exclusivement due a des raisons epistemologiques liees a la revolution scientifique. Les livres astrologiques et prophetiques sont l'enjeu et l'objet d'un mouvement de distinction sociale qui les disqualifie pour leur presentation negligee, leurs falsifications et l'usage parodique ou purement ludique qu'ils font des themes astrologiques. Cette degradation des normes d'accreditation relegue cette litterature au rand de la culture populaire. Une telle identification sociale attire l'attention de l'etat monarchique qui, sous louis 14, integre la lutte contre l'astrologie a une politique plus vaste de lutte contre les superstitions. L'astrologie est jugee dangereuse parce qu'elle est supposee populaire et parce qu'elle est aussi un mode de representation politique. Sa marginalisation est un processus socio-culturel ou les formes de l'imprime ainsi que les usages politiques qu'il suscite ont joue un role de premier plan.
Abstract FR:
In seventeenth-century france, astrology and prophecy seem to fall into discredit in two ways : first, the science of astrology is more and more criticised by learned people, second, the astrological and prophetical literature is increasely considered as a popular one. The aim of this works is to study the link beetwen those two ways of disqualification. The scientific revolution is not an adequate ground to explain the exceptional wave of criticism shaking astrology and prophecy. This wave is rather due to the collapse of credibility of the differents kinds of astrological and prophetical books. Parody, falsification, degradation of the material aspect make the learned people turn away from these books considered as incredible and rejected by those who want books to be the indentification mark of their social condition. Considered as popular, this kind of literature also appears like dangeroux to the opinion of the reason of state fighting against superstitions, of which books are supposed to be the best medium. The discredit of astrology and prophecy is rather due to cultural, social and political reasons, than to scientific ones.